


i leave my heart open

by klaineanummel



Series: Story of My Life [5]
Category: Glee
Genre: Demisexual Character, F/M, Side Story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-25
Updated: 2018-02-25
Packaged: 2019-03-24 00:38:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,076
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13799697
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/klaineanummel/pseuds/klaineanummel
Summary: Throughout Cooper’s life, there have been two constants: his sexuality, and his love for Rachel Berry.





	i leave my heart open

**Author's Note:**

> This is a story set within the events of the original "Story of My Life". It follows Cooper and a really important aspect of his character that I wasn't able to explore within the official fic, but that I wasn't completely willing to let go. Kurt is barely in this, and Blaine isn't at all (sorry, when I originally wrote it he wasn't really in it, and then I kept trying to fit him in and it just didn't work), so this is definitely not a Klaine fic. It's more of an exploration of Cooper's character, and a better look at him outside of his relationship as Kurt's best friend and Blaine's brother. 
> 
> I want to make it very clear before going into this that I am not myself demisexual, and Cooper's experience with demisexuality is not meant to be exhaustive. Asexuality is a spectrum, and I have tried to represent that within the story. This is not meant to be representative of the experience of every ace-spec individual. Please, if you see anything incorrect in regards to my representation of demisexuality, let me know (politely, please). 
> 
> I'm already writing my next fic in this universe, but am still totally open to fic prompts! I can't promise they will be filled in the way you expect, but if there's any parts of the original fic you want to see further explored, or anything from their future you're interested in, please send it my way! I love this verse so much, and want to write as much for it as my brain will allow me. 
> 
> I hope you all enjoy, and I'll see you soon (hopefully!) with the next part!

**2013**

Cooper Anderson is not a stupid man. Sure, he may play the fool at times, but he is very aware of himself and his feelings. Despite what his friends may think, he is totally aware of how ridiculous he acts around Rachel, and how those actions are doing little to secure him the date with her he so wants. He knows that his dreams of becoming an actor are extremely unrealistic, and most likely unattainable.

He also knows full-well that he has no interest in having sex.

He just didn’t know there was a name for it until his first year of undergrad.

The revelation came on an evening in February. He was lying on his dorm bed, fucking around on his computer, when Kurt came in.

“When did dating become so complicated?” Kurt asked, falling onto his own bed face-first.

“Wrong person to ask,” Cooper said, shutting the lid to his computer. He set it on the edge of his desk, then sat up. “What happened?”

Kurt sighed, turning onto his back. “Well, everything was going great. I thought he was cute, he thought I was cute, I was all ready to ask him for a second date, and then he told me he was asexual.”

Cooper frowned. “A-what?”

“Asexual,” Kurt says, sitting up, staring at Cooper as though he was an idiot. “You know, someone who doesn’t want to have sex?”

“Oh,” Cooper said, eyes widening in realization. “So he… he doesn’t want to have sex? Like, ever?”

Kurt shrugged. “He said that maybe at some point he might be up for it, but right now he is sex-repulsed, and doesn’t see that changing any time soon. So, basically, any relationship I’d have with him would be totally chaste.”

“Wait, is that a bad thing?” Cooper asked, leaning forward. “You told me you weren’t ready for sex yet when you were going out with Chandler.”

“I’m not,” Kurt said. “But I’d like to have the opportunity when I _am_ ready, and I don’t think it would be right to get into a relationship hoping that he’ll suddenly not be sex-repulsed when I decide that I am ready.”

Cooper nodded, thoughts whirring. Asexual, sex-repulsed… these were all new words to him. How had he never heard of any of this before?

Kurt sighed, and asked, “Do you think I’m being totally shallow?”

“What?” Cooper shook himself out of his thoughts. “No, of course not. You’re not compatible, that’s all.”

“I don’t know, I just feel weird about the whole thing,” he said. “He was totally cool with it, though, and thanked me for a wonderful evening nonetheless.” He chuckled self-deprecatingly. “I think that actually made it worse.”

“Of course it did,” Cooper said. “Kurt, you’re fine. Really. Better not to get involved than to go out for a year and _then_ realize you’re not compatible in that way, right?”

“I guess,” Kurt said. “Ugh, whatever, I don’t want to talk about this anymore. Did you end up going to the diner to stare at Rachel like a creep today after all?”

Cooper blushed. “Um, I went to get dinner with Mercedes at the diner, yes.”

Kurt smirked. “And Rachel was there?”

Cooper shook his head. “Shut up,” he said.

Kurt just laughed. “Sorry. Teasing you always makes me feel better.”

Cooper huffed. “Well, I’m glad I could help in some way,” he said, pulling his laptop back onto his lap. Kurt kept laughing, but Cooper ignored him. Once his laptop opened, he minimized his Script Writing project and opened up Google Chrome, typing ‘Asexual’ into the search bar.

**2014**

By the time Cooper met Quinn, he was firm in his identity as asexual.

He didn’t really talk about it with his friends, not sure of how they would react. They all already thought he was weird for spending so much time hung up on Rachel, he didn’t need them to think he was weird for this, too.

He was actually hoping to make something happen with Rachel the night he met Quinn. She was finally single for the first time since he’d met her, and clearly ready to move on. When he spotted her on the dance floor he instantly abandoned Kurt to go dance with her.

Unfortunately, she seemed to think he was just doing it to be a supportive friend, and had zero qualms about abandoning him when another man got between them.

“I’ll be fine,” she told him over her shoulders, arms already wrapped around the other man’s neck. “Thank you for keeping me company, darling.” Then she turned back to the man, and Cooper sighed, sulking away.

“Ouch,” he turned to the voice who’d just spoken, seeing Kurt and Elliott’s friend Quinn standing next to him. “That was harsh.” She nodded toward Rachel and asked. “She know you like her?”

Cooper shook his head. “She’s the only one, honestly,” he said. “I’m not exactly subtle.”

“Sucks,” she said, patting him on the arm. “You want me to buy you a drink to make you feel better?”

Cooper raised his hand, drawing attention to the bright red wristband there. She just chuckled and raised her own bare wrist with a raised eyebrow. Cooper considered her for a moment, then nodded.

He managed to snag a two-person table near the back of the room, waving her over when he saw her leaving the bar. She managed to reach him fairly quickly, setting the drinks on the table and sitting down heavily.

“To unrequited love,” she said, raising her drink. He raised his own as well, clinking it against hers.

Somehow, he still has no idea how, they went from casually chatting and sipping their drinks, to making out against the wall next to their table. It was pretty awesome, Cooper had to admit, even if she tasted like beer. It wasn’t what he’d hoped for his first official kiss (he’d been hoping that would come from Rachel, to be honest), but it wasn’t bad either.

“My apartment is just down the street,” she said after a while. “You wanna get out of here?”

That made Cooper stop, hands clenching tight on her waist. “Like… for sex?” he asked, totally caught off guard.

She raised an eyebrow. “Yes, Cooper, for sex. You want to?”

Cooper tensed, eyes wide. “Um…”

She pressed her lips together and pushed him away. “Hey, it’s fine if you don’t. Sorry, I thought we were vibing hard, but I guess I was wrong.”

She started to slip out from between him and the wall, so Cooper reached a hand out to stop her, practically screaming, “I’m asexual!”

She stopped, turning back toward him. “You’re what?”

Cooper blushed. “I’m asexual.”

She frowned. “But you’re like, super into Rachel?”

“Well, I’m not aromantic,” he said. “They’re… it’s different.”

“Huh,” she said, looking him over, considering. “Do you still want to make out?”

Cooper nodded instantly. “Very much.”

She shrugged, then stepped back against the wall, wrapping her arms around his waist, saying, “I guess that’s fine,” before leaning up and kissing him again.

*

When he texted Quinn the next day, he did it with the intention of getting to know her better, maybe even becoming friends. He never expected her to ask him on a date.

He said yes before she could rethink it, but couldn’t help but bring it up when they actually sat down to eat.

“I don’t understand,” he said as they waited for their food. “You know about my crush on Rachel and my asexuality, but you still want to date me?”

Quinn shrugged. “Yeah. I figure, well, a crush is something you can get over, and as for being asexual, sex has never been the be-all-end-all for me in a relationship.”

“Wow,” Cooper replied, heart pounding. “I… I don’t even know what to say.”

“How about: Thank you, Quinn, for this amazing date, and for giving me the chance to get over my crush on Rachel by falling in love with you?”

Cooper grinned and nodded. “Alright. Let’s go with that.”

**2015**

He’d been dating Quinn for six months when things started to shift. Suddenly, he found himself thinking of Quinn unlike he’d ever thought of her before. Thinking about pressing his leg between her thighs as they kissed, thinking about laying over her in bed, about taking off her shirt.

It was strange. He’d always been so sure of his asexuality, that suddenly feeling sexual attraction for someone threw him for an absolute loop.

Of course, he also knew that asexuality was a spectrum, and that there was the possibility that he was either demi- or grey-asexual. He’d just… never considered that before.

The best thing about it was that he didn’t have to hole himself up in his room and do more research alone. He had somebody he could talk to about anything, who he knew would accept him no matter what.

“So,” he told Quinn at dinner, “I’ve been thinking about sex.”

She’d been sipping water as he said it, and almost choked. She spluttered, lowering her drink and staring at him in shock. “Sex?” she asked.

“Yeah,” he nodded. “With you.”

“Really, now?”

He nodded again. “I think I might be on a different part of the asexuality spectrum than I thought I was.”

“I see,” she said. “Which part?”

He shrugged. “Maybe demi? I’ve…” he trailed off briefly, reaching forward to take Quinn’s hands. “I’ve been feeling really close to you lately, Quinn. Like, I might love you.”

Quinn grinned, raising a single eyebrow. “You _might_ love me?”

He thought about it for a second, then nodded and said, “Actually, no, I definitely love you.” He squeezed her hand tight, looking directly into her eyes. “I love you. Is that okay?”

She continued to grin, eyes sparkling. “Yes, it’s okay,” she said. “Because I think I might love you, too.”

“Cool,” he said, heart skipping a beat in his chest. He watched her for a moment, barely able to believe that someone so incredible loved _him_. Then, after a too-long silence, said. “So, about the sex thing.”

She pressed her lips together and said. “Are you really sure? Because I never want you to feel like you have to do something you don’t want because of me. I told you when this started that sex wasn’t the be-all-end-all for me, and that still stands. I don’t care if we never have sex, I just want to be with you.”

He nodded, heart fluttering in his chest. “I don’t feel that. This is all me, I swear.” He tilted his head to the side slightly and said, “Maybe… we could try? Just to see how it goes?”

She instantly nodded back. “Yes, okay. I’m… I’m down for trying.” She squeezed his hands tightly and said, “But if you feel uncomfortable at any time—”

“I’ll tell you, and we’ll stop,” Cooper promised. “I trust you, Quinn.”

She smiled. “Good,” she said. “I trust you, too.”

*

Later that evening, Cooper lay in Quinn’s bed completely out of breath, one arm thrown over his head and his very naked girlfriend lying beside him.

“Well,” Quinn said, clearly out of breath as well. “That was…”

“Yeah,” Cooper said. He turned onto his side, moving his arm so he could look into Quinn’s eyes. “I’m demisexual.”

“Yeah?” Quinn asked.

“Oh, yeah,” he said. He reached a hand up to cup her cheek and pulled her in for a hard kiss. “Thank you.”

“For what?” she asked.

“For being so amazing,” he said. “And for the sex.”

She laughed, pushing at his chest lightly. “Never thought I’d hear you say that,” she said.

He laughed as well and admitted, “Honestly? Me neither.”

**2018**

There wasn’t an exact time that Cooper could pinpoint as the moment things started to go south with Quinn. It wasn’t like they started to fight more, or they stopped hanging out, or anything like that. It was more of a process.

The only real sign Cooper had was his slowly lessening interest in sex. It took him a while to notice, but he eventually realized that sex had became like a chore. Something he did because they had up to this point, and because Quinn liked it, not because he felt a deep desire to. Quinn clearly noticed, and slowly their sex life petered off to once a week, then twice a month, until it died all together.

His other sign came when Quinn broke up with him.

 “I don’t understand,” he said, staring at her from across her couch. “Did I do something?”

She shook her head. “No, but… I mean, you feel it too, right?” She pressed her lips together, clearly trying not to cry. “Things haven’t been the same lately. I mean, Cooper, we haven’t had sex in two months, and before, when we did, you were clearly not into it. You told me that the reason you started to feel sexual attraction to me was because you felt close to me, but you don’t anymore, do you? You haven’t for a while.”

He looked down at his lap. “I… no, I don’t.” He quickly looked back up and said, “But Quinn, this isn’t just about sex.”

“I know,” Quinn said. “I told you when this started that I didn’t care about sex, and I really still don’t. What I care about is being with someone who I love and who loves me back, not someone that is just going through the motions with me.” She sighed and said, “I don’t know what happened, Coop. It just… my feelings changed, I don’t know when, and I think yours did, too.”

He felt tears pricking at his eyes. “I didn’t want them to.”

“Me neither,” she promised. “They still did, though.”

“Yeah, they did,” Cooper said, finally looking up. She was crying too, and it just made him cry harder. “I’m… I’m sorry, Quinn.”

“Don’t be,” she said. “You’re the best relationship I’ve ever been in, Coop. It just isn’t right between us anymore.” She shrugged and said. “Sometimes people fall out of love.”

“I never wanted to fall out of love with you,” he said.

“I didn’t want to either,” she replied.

They sat in silence for a little bit, then Cooper reached forward and hugged Quinn. She hugged him back, and Cooper could feel her tears wetting his shirt.

He pulls away first and gets up to leave. When he reaches her door, though, he stops and turns to her, saying, “You’re still my best friend, you know?”

She smiled, wiping a tear away. “Don’t tell Kurt that,” she said, which made Cooper snort.

“Kurt? He replaced me with Blaine and Elliott ages ago. He can deal with it.”

She kept smiling and said, “You’re my best friend, too.”

He nodded and, finally, walked out of her apartment.

*

Rachel was the only person at home when he returned from Quinn’s, and she instantly ran up to meet him, hugging him and asking, “What happened?”

He admitted that he and Quinn broke up, and within minutes he was sitting on their couch, a pint of ice cream in his lap, telling Rachel all about it.

“It just sucks,” he said, licking some ice cream off his spoon. “She knows so much about me, more than anybody else. I don’t know if I even remember how to be without her.”

“Well, how about this,” Rachel said, placing a hand on his knee. “Why don’t you tell me something you only ever told Quinn? That way she’s not the only one, and whenever something happens regarding that issue you can come to me.”

He smiled, remembering why he’d liked Rachel so much for so long. “Okay,” he agreed. “Just give me a second to think.”

It didn’t even take that long for him to know what he could tell Rachel. Something that only  he and Quinn knew, that he never felt was anybody else’s business. He took a deep breath, then said, “I’m demisexual.”

Rachel sat up a little straighter and asked, “Really?”

He nodded. “It can’t be that surprising. I never dated anybody before Quinn.”

“Well, yeah, but I just assumed you didn’t want to date. I thought you were just into one-night stands.”

He laughed, shaking his head. “Literally the opposite. I always wanted to date, but I wasn’t interested in sex until six months into my relationship with Quinn, when I was sure I loved her.”

“Wow,” she said. “I… You know, I thought I knew you so well, but this totally changes my perception of you.” She squeezed his knee. “Thank you for telling me, Cooper. And, sorry. For assuming things about you.”

“It’s fine,” he replied. “It’s not like you had any reason to believe otherwise.”

“Still. It’s shitty to assume.”

He knew he wouldn’t win this argument with her, so he just placed his hand over hers and said, “Thanks for being there for me today, Rachel. And for suggesting this. It feels really nice to have someone other than Quinn know about me.”

“Any time, Cooper. I’m always here for you.”

She turned her hand a bit so that their fingers could intertwine, and Cooper felt his heart thump in his chest. He stared into Rachel’s eyes, dread filling his gut.

 _God_ , he thought as she smiled at him, starting to suggest stealing some of Kurt’s cheesecake to go with the ice cream, _not again_.

**2019**

Cooper was nursing a cup of coffee and a wicked hangover when Kurt arrived home, looking like he’d been run over by a truck.

“You look awful,” Kurt said, standing in the doorway to the kitchen.

“So do you,” Cooper replied, sipping his coffee easily.

Kurt rolled his eyes and jerked his way to the kitchen table, falling into the seat opposite Cooper. “Last night was a mistake.”

Cooper couldn’t help but chuckle at that. “You say that every time we go out drinking.”

Kurt shook his head. “No, not that. Well, yes that, but I meant the other part of the evening.”

Cooper pressed his lips together, trying to keep from laughing. “Bad sex?”

Kurt buried his head in his arms. “Try worst ever sex in the history of all of sex. Don’t ever let me go home with a guy wearing cowboy boots ever again.”

Cooper couldn’t help but snort at that. “Noted.”

Kurt peeked over his arms and asked, “What about you? You were still at the bar when I left. Meet anyone special?”

Cooper blushed, then brought his cup up to his lips. “Uh, nope. Not really.”

“Cooper.”

“Seriously,” Cooper said. “I saw you leave, had one more drink, and then left myself. The party was dying down by that point anyway.”

Kurt looked completely unconvinced. “Cooper.”

“I’m not lying to you Kurt, I swear. I just came home.”

“Okay, well if that’s true, that’s even worse than you trying to keep a hook-up from me.” When Cooper just stared at him in confusion, Kurt said, “Coop, it’s been six months since Quinn broke up with you, and you still haven’t rebounded yet. I’m getting a little worried about you, man.”

Cooper set his coffee down on the table and said, “Why are you worried about me?”

“Because,” Kurt said. “Rebounds are healthy, and you’ve basically turned back into a monk since you and Quinn broke up.”

“Back into—?”

“Oh, please,” Kurt rolled his eyes. “The others may think you have a playboy dark side, but I know the truth. I’ve been your roommate for seven years, Cooper. I know the only girl you’ve ever slept with is Quinn. What I can’t figure out is why…” he trailed off, eyes suddenly widening. He stared at Cooper for a moment, then pointed at him accusingly. “You’re asexual, aren’t you?”

Cooper straightened up suddenly in shock, surprised that Kurt would land on it so quickly.

“Whoa,” Cooper said. “That came to you just like that.”

“You are, though, aren’t you? That’s why you never hook up. It’s why you haven’t rebounded. Right?”

Cooper thought about it for a second, then nodded and said, “I’m demi, actually, but yeah. I’m definitely ace-spec.”

Kurt stared at him for a few seconds, then asked, “How long have you known?”

Cooper shrugged. “My whole life, I guess? I didn’t know there was a name for it until you went out with that one asexual guy Freshman year, though.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

Kurt sounded hurt, which surprised Cooper a little bit. He shrugged, taking a step toward his friend. “I didn’t really think it mattered.” He licks his lips, then says, “If it makes you feel better, the only other people who know are Quinn and Rachel. I wasn’t purposefully keeping this from you, Kurt, it just… it didn’t seem important.”

“It’s part of who you are, and you’re my best friend,” Kurt said. “Of course it’s important.”

“Okay,” is all Cooper could think of to say. He stared at Kurt for a few moments, then asked, “Are you mad?”

Kurt instantly shook his head. “No, of course not. I’m… I’m a little hurt that you wouldn’t trust me with this, but I think I’m more upset that you think your sexuality doesn’t matter enough to tell people.”

“I just don’t think what I do, or don’t do, in the bedroom is anybody’s business but mine and whoever I’m doing it with, you know?”

Kurt nodded slowly. “I guess I get that,” he said. He pressed his lips together, then asked, “Why does Rachel know, then?”

“Oh, it was her way of making me feel better about Quinn breaking up with me. She told me to tell her something only Quinn knew, so she could be there for me about that issue. It was… sweet.”

Kurt stared at him carefully for a few more moments, then finally nodded once and said, “Alright. I think I get it.” He tapped his fingers against the table, then said, “Cooper?”

“Yeah?”

“I’m sorry for prying it out of you, or for making it sound like you should have told me. It’s your life, it’s up to you to tell whoever you want.”

Cooper smiled softly. “I know, Kurt. But thanks for saying it anyway.”

Kurt smiled back, then stood up and said, “Alright, well, I’m going to go wash the stench of last night off me, and then sleep until five.”

Cooper sipped his coffee again, then said, “I think I might do the same.”

Kurt saluted him with two fingers before heading out of the kitchen, and Cooper continued to smile as he watched him go.

He had to admit, it was a little nice to have somebody other than Rachel and Quinn who knew about him.

**2019**

Cooper wasn’t surprised at all that Quinn started dating again before he did. In fact, he’d expected it. Ending his relationship with Quinn had just shoved him right back to where he was with Rachel before he started dating Quinn, and there weren’t that many girls like Quinn, cool with dating a man with a crush on somebody else.

The thing he hadn’t expected was that he would know the person she dated.

“Cooper, let me explain,” Tina said, rushing after him as he tried to walk out of the apartment.

“What is there to explain?” Cooper asked, not even turning around, unable to look at her. “You just had your hands up my ex-girlfriend’s shirt. Isn’t there some kind of code about this?”

“Cooper, please,” Tina put her hand on Cooper’s arm, which he instantly pulled away. He turned to her with a glare, and she withered away from him.

“Just…” he shook his head and stepped away. “Just leave me alone, okay?”

He finally was able to finish his storm out, realizing as soon as he slammed the door shut that he didn’t actually have anywhere else to go. He slid down the wall next to the door, pulling his knees up to his chest and burying his face in his hands.

It wasn’t long before Rachel returned from rehearsal for her newest play. He didn’t even notice her return until she was sitting beside him with a hand on his wrist.

“Hey,” she said softly. “What’s wrong?”

Cooper scoffed, head falling back against the wall. “Oh, nothing, I just caught Tina and Quinn making out. Normal, every day stuff.”

Rachel sighed, slipping her hand into Cooper’s easily. “I’m sorry. That’s… that’s shitty as hell.”

“No kidding,” Cooper said, shaking his head.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, Rachel eventually leaning her head on Cooper’s shoulder. His heart did a stupid flip as she did, and he hated it. He hated how he was just as stupidly stuck on Rachel as Blaine was on Kurt. Doomed to love somebody who would never love him, no matter how hard he tried not to.

“You want to know the dumbest thing?” he finally asked. Rachel lifted her head, nodding it once. “I don’t even have feelings for Quinn anymore. I haven’t for a long time.”

“I get it,” Rachel said. “Just because you don’t love her anymore doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt to see her move on.”

“Actually,” Cooper said, shaking his head, “I’m more upset about the fact that she’s moving on with Tina. I mean, aside from Kurt, Tina is my best friend. We’ve lived together for over six years now. I never thought…” he sighs. “I never thought I’d see her making out with my ex.”

Rachel bumps their shoulders together gently and says, “I know you’re hurting, but I’m a little offended that Tina comes next after Kurt.”

Cooper chuckled. “Well, you’re a little different.”

“Oh, yeah? Why’s that?”

 _Because I’ve been in love with you for as long as I can remember_. “You just… you’re different.”

She nodded as though she understood and squeezed Cooper’s hand.

*

The next day, Tina knocked on his door and calmly asked him if he wanted her to move out.

Cooper sighed. “No, Tina,” he said. “I just… why Quinn? Why my ex-girlfriend?”

Tina looked down at her feet and said, “It feels right with her. Right like it’s never felt before. I… I knew it would hurt you, and I’m sorry about that, but I couldn’t have stopped it from happening if I tried. I think… I think she’s the one.”

Cooper nodded, biting the inside of his cheek. “You know it’s going to take me a while to get used to this, right?”

“I know,” she said. “And I totally get it if you hate me forever. It’s a shit move.”

“It is,” Cooper said. He stared at her hard, then asked, “Does Quinn feel the same way as you do?”

Tina nodded. “We’ve already said I love you.”

“Jesus,” Cooper said. “Well, I mean, I’m not going to stand in the way of that. It’s just… it’s weird, you know? You’re my best friend, and she’s my ex.”

Tina burst into tears and wrapped her arms around him, completely surprising Cooper. “You’re my best friend, too,” she said.

He sighed, but couldn’t stop himself from hugging her back.

**2020**

Cooper felt stagnant.

His career was going nowhere. He was still in the same theater troupe he’d joined when he graduated, and had yet to advance beyond secondary roles. He was still living in the same apartment as he’d lived in since Sophomore year, with the roommates he’d had since Sophomore year. He was still in love with the same girl he’d loved since his Freshman year. He felt like his life was going nowhere.

Meanwhile, it seemed like his friends lives kept moving forward. Sam and Mercedes were suddenly engaged, then just as suddenly married, and running a successful business together. Tina and Quinn were living together, leaving Cooper alone in the apartment with Rachel and Kurt. Kurt ended a serious relationship only to jump right into an even more serious relationship, and he seemed to be getting promotions at Vogue every other day. Rachel had a lead role in a new Off-Broadway musical that was getting rave reviews, and was rumoured to be going to Broadway soon. Even Blaine was finally seeing somebody seriously, seemingly over his years-long crush on Kurt.

Tina and Quinn getting engaged and Kurt and Elliott announcing shortly after that they were moving in together made Cooper snap.

He had to change something. He couldn’t keep wading through life watching everybody achieve success while he was stuck.

After a lot of thinking, he made what would either be the worst decision or best decision of his life: he quit his troupe and asked Sam and Mercedes to hire him back on at the Spotlight Diner.

Mercedes seemed confused when she asked him, especially when he assured her that he didn’t want to be management.

“I know you need a senior manager, but I really want to be a singing waiter.”

“I don’t get it, Cooper. Like, really, I don’t understand. Why would you give up your dream for _this_? You’ve worked here before, Cooper, you know it isn’t glamorous.”

“Because, Mercedes, the last time I actually got a break in my life was when I was here. This is where my troupe discovered me, and I’m hoping I’ll be discovered again. Besides, we both know that a large reason for how shitty it was to work there was the owner and managers, which I hear have recently changed.”

Mercedes stared at him for a while, then shook her head and said. “I’m sorry, Cooper, I can’t watch you go back that far in life. I refuse.”

“Mercedes—”

“So, here’s what we’re going to do. You will become my new senior manager, with your main responsibility being ensuring that things are working smoothly on the floor, and being included in every single number we do. Sound like a deal?”

He hugged her as soon as she was finished speaking, and she laughed, hugging him back.

He knew the rest of his friends would think he was as crazy as Mercedes did for doing this, but he also knew that this was the right move for him. For the first time in years, he actually felt like he was moving forward.

**2021**

“We need to get a smaller apartment,” was how Rachel greeted him on his return from work.

Cooper frowned, tossing his backpack onto a recliner. “Why?”

“Because, Cooper, Kurt is moving out soon, and you and I don’t really need this four-bedroom monstrosity anymore. Besides, I’m on Broadway now, and I know that Sam and Mercedes are paying you a really fair salary for your work at the diner. We can afford a smaller apartment in a better location.”

Cooper looked her over carefully. “And you’re sure you want us to move together?”

She frowned. “What do you mean?”

“Well, like you said, you’re on Broadway now, and you’ve been seeing Jesse for over a year. You sure you don’t want to, I don’t know, go our own ways? I won’t be offended if you do.”

She instantly scoffed, shaking her head. “Cooper, you and I have always lived together. We will continue to live together until one of us literally gets married, and maybe even after that. Got it?”

Cooper’s heart ached at the idea of living with Rachel and her future husband, but nodded anyway.

“Besides,” Rachel continued. “Jesse broke up with me today, so there you go. No moving in for us any time soon.”

“Oh, Rachel,” Cooper said, reaching out to hug her.

She stopped him before he could reach her. “No. None of that. He dumped be because my show got moved to Broadway and his didn’t, so I refuse to feel sorry for myself. Now, come on. I already made an appointment to look at a place in Uptown Manhattan today.”

“What? Rachel—”

“Nope, I don’t want to hear it. Let’s go.”

She grabbed his hand and started to lead him out of the apartment. Cooper just sighed and followed her, hating the knowledge that she could be dragging him off a cliff and he would still follow her as long as she never let go of his hand.

**2022**

“You love me,” Rachel announced as she walked into their tiny apartment in Manhattan. Cooper’s head whipped up from where he was preparing the schedule for the upcoming two weeks at the diner. His heart was pounding in his chest, eyes wide in shock.

“What?” he managed to ask, not understanding how Rachel could have figured it out.

“My show is looking for a replacement for Jacques, who is going on paternity leave. I told them about you. Your audition is tomorrow before your shift at the diner.”

His heart was pounding so fast, he barely heard anything she said beside ‘audition’. He stared at her, mouth open like a goldfish.

“Hello, Cooper?” she stopped right in front of him and waved a hand in front of his face. “I got you an audition for Broadway! Come on, tell me you love me, I need to hear it.”

Without thinking, Cooper stood up, cupped her face in his hands and kissed her.

People who said they felt fireworks when kissing the one they loved really weren’t lying. Cooper felt like his entire life had led up to this moment, standing in his tiny living room slash dining room, kissing Rachel Berry.

He pulled away slowly, hearing Rachel whimper at the loss of contact. Her eyes were still closed, her breathing laboured, and her lips parted.

“Marry me.”

Her eyes fluttered open slowly, and he felt her start to shake in his arms. “What?”

“I do love you,” he said, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “Marry me.”

“We – We aren’t dating.”

“Rachel Berry,” he said, tilting her head up so he could look her directly in the eye. He could see tears welling in them, but forced himself to push through. “I have loved you since I was eighteen-years-old. I don’t need to date you to know that you’re the woman for me. Please, Rachel. Marry me?”

A tear escaped her right eye, and her lips slowly spread into a smile.

“Yes.”

Cooper was sure that he had stopped breathing. “Yes?”

She nodded, a grin splitting her face in two. “Yes, Cooper Anderson, you goof! Of course I’ll marry you!”

He leaned down and kissed her again, and this time she responded eagerly, her arms going around his waist and pulling him close.

“I can’t believe it,” she said when they separated. “I thought you were never going to ask me out, and then you go and pull this.”

“You knew?” he asks.

She nods. “Well, the since you were eighteen part is a surprise. I’ve known for about a year now, though.”

“You know you could have asked me out, right?”

She shrugged. “I probably would have if you kept me waiting any longer,” she said. She grins up at him. “This was worth the wait, though.”

“I love you,” he said, fingers carding through her hair.

She smiled back. “I love you, too.” She leaned up and kissed him softly, then pulled back quickly and asked, “So, wait. If you love me does that mean you’re, you know, sexually interested?”

Cooper laughed. “Rachel.”

“This is a serious question, Cooper.”

“Yes, Rachel,” he said. “I am very, very sexually interested.”

“Okay, good,” she said. “Then we are going to go out and buy me a ring, and then we are going to have the best sex of our lives.”

He laughed again, pulling her into a tight hug. “But the ring comes first, huh?”

“I have my priorities, Cooper. You of all people should understand sex not being the top one.”

He kissed the top of her head, feeling like he’d just stepped out of his life. Still hugging her close, he quietly asked, “Is this really happening?”

She held him closer and replied. “Yes, Cooper. This is real. It’s happening.” She pulled back just far enough to stare into his eyes. “We’re getting married.”

“We’re getting married,” Cooper confirmed.

At that moment, he was sure that he would never be happier again in his life.

*

He was wrong, of course.

Watching Rachel walk down the aisle in a wedding dress, not to meet some random potential husband but _him_. Him, Cooper Anderson, Rachel Berry’s future husband.

That. That was the happiest moment of his life.

 

**Author's Note:**

> [ rebloggable on tumblr ](http://klaineanummel.tumblr.com/post/171283060925/i-leave-my-heart-open)


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